Smiling wide in W6

We hate to start with a cliché, but people do tend to dread the dentist. Personally, I’ve never experienced a serious case of the fear, per se (I’m a good girl and I brush twice daily –although I’m sure I eat too many sweets and despite repeated attempts at scaremongering by my dentist I don’t floss as much as I should), and in fact I quite enjoy the whizzing, whirring, polishing and squeaky-clean-ness of it all. But I think it’s fair to say we do all dread a few choice phrases such as “Oooh [insert faux-concerned expression], I think that one might have to come out”, and “Nurse, pass me the drill”... (OK that last one was made up, has that ever happened in real life??)

But, a girl’s got to look after her pearly whites, right? Whether you’ve been through the teenage hell that are train-tracks or not, we all know deep down teeth are worth investing time in, even if it’s not as exciting as looking after your hair or nails. You only get one set. They can pretty much make or break your snogging hit-rate (shallow or not, I’d turn down a kiss from someone if their teeth were disgusting) and when they go wrong, it ALL goes wrong. Anyone who has sprouted wisdom teeth knows how much hell they can cause.

So, sexy or not... this one’s an ode to a dentist. Albeit, a dentists’ practice with slightly raised sexy stakes.

K2 Dental on the Fulham Palace Road has treated celebs (Zaki Kanaan specialises in cosmetic dentistry and the especially Dental Implants – rumour/their website has it that Jermaine Jackson and Sophie Anderton have dropped in for cosmetic procedures) and won a host of awards. However, the one that most caught my eye – amongst the usual accolades for safety and excellence – was a plaque declaring their place in the Shortlist of Britain’s Most Attractive Dental Practices! And attractive it is... with mahogany side boards, colourful yet tasteful art adorning the walls and cleverly hiding air conditioning units, a beautiful spiral staircase and decorative mirror sets around reception. Inside the practice rooms, the theme continues, and the technology is impressive. My favourite added extra had to be the screen which was suspended in front of the patient’s chair which the dentists could ‘flick’ images onto for you to see – showing somebody the inside view of their teeth, plaque and all, magnified around a foot from their face is a pretty effective tactic, trust me!

As for the consultation, my dental and hygienist appointment with Dominique Kanaan (again, a rather more glamorous individual than the dentists I am used to) was anything but scary. My initial assessment went beyond the usual questions such as do you smoke (no I don’t, *smug face*) and how many units of alcohol a week you consume (*not so smug now*) and actually went down to a deeper level around health issues, both personal and those that run in the family, and how those can affect your teeth, as well as your general well-being. Dominique was sure to explain what she was looking for at each check, what the potential results could mean for my teeth, and that photo-screen proved a real winner in showing me a little bit of what she was seeing to help drive the point home. All feedback was delivered with a smile and a helpful (and crucially, easily applied) remedy – she even assessed my brushing style and current dental product repertoire, recommending easy substitutes where possible.

The hygienist appointment was choc full of all my favourite bits of dentists’ magic. There were sprayers, scrapers, polishers, mirrors, whizzy things and plenty of splashing water. I’d honestly liken it to a deep facial for your teeth and it’s amazing to sit back for 30 minutes and let someone really make sure your teeth are the cleanest they’ll ever be! So there’s a feeling of pampering, coupled with extreme relief that all the yucky bits you’d seen on the aforementioned in-mouth photograph were no longer there! Trust me, no matter how good you think you are about brushing... a hygienist appointment is a must, and if you don’t mind the sound of metal on teeth, actually rather enjoyable. Dominique was also really helpful in answering any questions I had about cosmetic procedures, but without pushing anything at all. In fact, when I was asking about teeth whitening, she actively encouraged me to pursue the cheaper at-home option which only involved an initial consultation appointment, rather than return visits for in-salon treatment.

It’s great to know your dentist is approachable and human, and Dominique and Zaki Kanaan could not be further away from the drill-wielding stereotype. In fact, the couple bring a lot of character to the practice. They’ve bungee jumped, sky dived and for their latest venture they’re hoping to raise £6,000 for charity Bridge2Aid by climbing Kilimanjaro later on this year. If anyone can make dentistry a bit more sexy and exciting.. it’ll be these two!

K2 Dental

218 Fulham Palace Road

London W6 9NT

0207 386 5587